Grubhub

Is Grubhub worth it for delivery drivers and couriers?

Grubhub publishes no earnings figure, so the choice comes down to a few specifics: what you keep, what the accident policy leaves out and how deactivation works.

How does Grubhub calculate your pay?

Grubhub says your total pay includes base pay (set by mileage, delivery type and time), tips from completed deliveries and mission bonuses. Its FAQ says pay depends on how often, when and where you deliver, and it gives no earnings figure. Grubhub says drivers keep 100% of tips from completed deliveries. Its driver page lists no sign-up fee and doesn't mention bag or gear fees.

How and when Grubhub pays you

Grubhub says payout is by direct deposit or Instant Cash Out. A page reproducing Grubhub's FAQ text says direct deposit lands on Thursdays unless you use Instant Cash Out. Grubhub's driver page states no fee, minimum or daily limit for Instant Cash Out. After a suspected phishing incident, Grubhub says Instant Cash Out is unavailable for 72 hours after the bank account is verified or changed.

Grubhub says applying takes minutes and that tracking your application happens in the Driver App.

Grubhub requirements and how long approval takes

You need a smartphone with a data plan, and the vehicle you can use depends on your market. Grubhub requires identity verification and a background check before approving you. It doesn't publish an exact approval time. It says drivers may start earning as little as a day after approval, and elsewhere says most partners are on the road within days of passing the check, depending on market. If your market is full, you can join a waitlist, and Grubhub says it works through waitlisted applicants first come, first served. Applicants see which markets are waitlisted only during the application, and may pick a nearby open market.

How much you can make on Grubhub

Grubhub publishes no hourly, weekly or monthly earnings figure. It describes earnings as delivery pay, a Grubhub contribution toward minimum rates on slower days, and 100% of tips, with no dollar amounts. It also says working scheduled blocks boosts earnings, again without a figure. No independent data with a stated sample covers Grubhub alone, so what a driver nets after fuel, insurance and waiting time is unmeasured.

Can Grubhub deactivate your account?

Yes. Grubhub's deactivation policy says three account violations within a rolling 90 days lead to deactivation, and violations expire after 90 days. The listed violations include masking your location, falsifying delivery progress, leaving orders unassigned and falsely marking merchants closed, and the policy says the list is non-exhaustive. Egregious misconduct such as physical assault, fraud or threats can bring immediate deactivation. Background-check reasons include multiple moving violations or accidents in the last 2 years.

Grubhub also says you can be deactivated if your average rating falls below a minimum it sets by market and can change at its discretion. It doesn't publish that number. The policy says any breach of the agreement or its policies can cost you platform access, and that Grubhub will give notice of deactivation.

You have 90 days from the deactivation email to appeal, through an online form (topic "Termination Appeals") or by replying to the email, with an explanation and supporting documents. Grubhub says a decision typically takes up to 14 days.

On injuries, Grubhub says it offers occupational accident insurance to all delivery partners at no cost and recommends carrying your own coverage too. Grubhub's help center says this insurance does not cover vehicle damage. It covers only medical expenses and lost income from injuries while making deliveries.

Is Grubhub legit?

Grubhub's terms of use name Grubhub Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates as the operator, and Wonder has owned Grubhub since January 2025. The terms describe drivers as independent delivery service providers, not employees, and require individual arbitration of disputes, with an exception for sexual assault and harassment claims. In Lawson v. Grubhub, a federal court in California ruled in 2023 that the plaintiff was an employee under California law and awarded $65 in minimum-wage damages. The parties later settled.

The FTC and Illinois Attorney General alleged Grubhub deceived drivers about earnings, charged junk fees, listed unaffiliated restaurants and blocked accounts. That case ended in a $25 million settlement, not a finding of liability, and Grubhub denied the FTC's claims. The settlement terms require verifiable proof of earnings claims to drivers on request and clear upfront disclosure of delivery fees. Separately, the Washington, D.C. attorney general sued Grubhub in March 2022 over alleged hidden fees and deceptive marketing, and Grubhub paid $3.5 million to settle.

Scams that use Grubhub's name

Grubhub says it will never ask drivers for bank account information, login credentials or a password reset code. Its help center warns about these patterns:

Taxes on Grubhub income

Grubhub says it issues 1099 forms to eligible drivers. The IRS says self-employed people generally owe self-employment tax on net earnings of $400 or more.

Grubhub vs other food delivery apps

Compare Grubhub with DoorDash, Uber Eats and Spark Driver, each with its own pay and sign-up terms.